PolyU welcomes the HKSAR’s First Five-Year Plan and 2026 Policy Address; Advancing the integrated development of education, technology and talent

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) welcomes the policy initiatives announced by the Chief Executive in the First Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (2026-2030) and the 2026 Policy Address. PolyU is pleased to see the Government accelerate the development of the Northern Metropolis University Town, with the aim of establishing a globally competitive university hub. The comprehensive and detailed development blueprint for the three university towns in San Tin, Hung Shui Kiu and Ta Kwu Ling clearly sets out their respective functions and development directions, laying the foundation for high‑quality university towns that are suitable for education, research, innovation and living.

PolyU also welcomes the Government’s commitment to allocating additional resources to support the capacity expansion and enhancement of post-secondary education, while deepening collaboration among industry, academia and research. Adopting the strategic positioning that integrates the four pillars of “talent cultivation, scientific research, transformation of outcomes, industry development”, the Government is in a bid to achieve the integrated development of education, technology and talent, and further strengthen Hong Kong’s overall competitiveness in higher education and innovation and technology.

Dr LAM Tai-fai, Council Chairman of PolyU, said, “We welcome the Government’s release of Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan and the Policy Address, which provide a clear roadmap for Hong Kong to seize the significant opportunities arising from the National 15th Five-Year Plan and to advance the development of new quality productive forces. PolyU will fully support the implementation of the Hong Kong’s first Five-Year Plan, proactively align with national development strategies, leverage its strengths in industry-academia-research collaboration, and contribute more actively to the country’s overall development and national needs. PolyU has recently established the Policy Research Institute for Education, Technology and Talents to support the implementation of the Government’s strategic priorities. The Institute will help drive the integrated development of education, technology and talent, while supporting Hong Kong’s development as an international hub for post-secondary education and an international hub for high-calibre talent.

PolyU is also fully committed to supporting the Government’s efforts in promoting patriotic education, national education and national security education. We will continue to deepen young people’s understanding of the Nation’s history and culture, development achievements and national security, strengthen their affection for and sense of belonging to the country, and nurture a new generation of talent with both a strong sense of national pride and a global perspective.

The Northern Metropolis is set to become a major engine of Hong Kong’s future growth and a key platform for synergising education, technology and industry development. PolyU will actively support the development of the Northern Metropolis University Town and is considering applying for relevant land sites. This will enable us to further advance research commercialisation, nurture innovation and technology talent, and promote industry development, contributing to Hong Kong’s aspiration to become an international innovation and technology centre. Together with stakeholders across sectors, we will seize the opportunities presented by the development of Greater Bay Area and better serve national development.”

Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU, said, “PolyU is encouraged by the Government’s strong support for innovation and technology development, the promotion of industry-academia-research collaboration, and the expansion of education, research and talent exchanges. The Loop Hong Kong Park, identified as a priority development area within the Northern Metropolis, will bring together leading universities and research institutions from Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and around the world, providing a vital platform for research collaboration, knowledge transfer and talent pooling. We welcome the continued enhancement of research and teaching facilities in the Park and look forward to actively participating in its development, working together to advance innovation and technology and strengthen industry-academia-research collaboration. We are also pleased to see the Government support the construction of new integrated teaching and scientific research buildings, which will provide additional resources for nurturing research talent and supporting frontier research.

PolyU has long been committed to promoting knowledge transfer, entrepreneurship among PolyU community and industry-academia-research collaboration, while actively aligning with the Northern Metropolis development direction. We have submitted a proposal to establish an institute in the area of life and health technologies in the Loop Hong Kong Park. Focusing on the convergence of artificial intelligence, life sciences and health technologies, the institute will serve as an integrated platform for research and knowledge transfer, accelerating the translation of research outcomes and injecting momentum into Hong Kong’s development as an international innovation and technology centre. At the same time, PolyU is planning to establish a School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship to further strengthen the talent pipeline for innovation and technology. The School will nurture more innovators and entrepreneurs with a global perspective for Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and the Nation.”

Deepening the Integration of Technological and Industrial Innovation

PolyU welcomes the Policy Address’s emphasis on deepening the integration of technological and industrial innovation, accelerating research commercialisation and strengthening collaborative innovation among industry, academia and research sectors. As a key contributor to innovation and technology development in both Hong Kong and the Nation, PolyU has built an extensive knowledge transfer network spanning Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and overseas. This includes Mainland Translational Research Institutes (MTRIs) across 12 cities in Chinese Mainland, the PolyU-Qianhai Disruptive Technology and Innovation Centre, and two Shenzhen-based research institutes. The University has also launched the PolyU Innovation Investment Roadshow Series (PIIRS), which connects technology, capital and industry.

In the 2024/25 academic year, PolyU’s total knowledge transfer income reached HK$2.98 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of more than 43% and ranking second among Hong Kong’s higher education institutions. Through its PolyVentures ecosystem, the University has incubated more than 900 start-ups. Many of these ventures, founded or led by PolyU scholars, alumni and students, are actively developing technologies in artificial intelligence, robotics, new energy, high-end manufacturing and space technology, with strong potential to become unicorns. In addition, 10 PolyU research projects have received funding under the HKSAR Government’s Research, Academic and Industry Sectors One-plus (RAISe+) Scheme, demonstrating the University’s strength in translating research excellence into industry impact.

Aligning with Key National Strategies in Technology and Planning for Frontier Technological Research

Hong Kong’s First Five-Year Plan highlights the importance of aligning with key national strategies in technology, focusing on core technologies in life and health, AI and robotics, microelectronics, new energy, advanced manufacturing and new materials, while promoting the “industries for AI” and “AI for industries”.

To support these priorities, PolyU has established the PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR) and the PolyU Academy for Artificial Intelligence (PAAI), bringing together interdisciplinary expertise to advance research in frontier technologies. Leveraging the strengths of a world-class university, PolyU is helping drive the integration of technological innovation with industry development.

The University is also encouraged by the Government’s plans to accelerate the development of emerging industries such as aerospace technology and the low-altitude economy. PolyU is the only university in Hong Kong to have participated in multiple national space missions. In July this year, the University established the PolyU Aerospace Research Academy (PARA), focusing on aerospace, aviation and low-altitude economy research.

In addition, PolyU is partnering with the Hong Kong Institute of Science & Innovation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, in the InnoHK Centre for Space Manufacturing Technology, contributing advanced manufacturing and materials technologies to support the development of space technologies.

Supporting the Capacity Expansion and Enhancement of Post-Secondary Education and Nurturing Global Innovation Talent

Talent is the cornerstone of innovation-driven development. PolyU welcomes measures in the Policy Address to strengthen Hong Kong’s talent pipeline, including a 30% increase in UGC-funded research postgraduate places, increase in annual quota of the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, and promotion of the wide adoption of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies across the higher education sector.

PolyU has actively supported the HKSAR Government’s initiatives to establish the “Study in Hong Kong” and the “Study Tour in Hong Kong” brands. Upon the increase in admission quota of non-local students, the University has already admitted nearly 1,000 non-local undergraduate students for the 2026/27 academic year.

Looking ahead, PolyU will continue expanding recruitment efforts in emerging markets, including Central Asia, the Middle East and Africa, to attract outstanding students from around the world. The University will also introduce programmes aligned with the latest developments in emerging technologies, nurturing globally competitive talent for Hong Kong, the Nation and the wider regions, and providing the skilled workforce needed to support innovation and industry development.

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